Red Light, Green Light
by ADI2DE
Summary: If tackling Sam once was enough to bring him into Andy's life, will tackling him again be enough to keep him there? Based off of 4.01, but with a twist…


**Welcome to ****_Red Light, Green Light_****, one of perhaps only two one-shots that I will ever write (we'll see - longer stories are more my thing). **I'm not sure when my other one will go up, but for those of you wanting a spin/twist on one of the most discussed scenes from 5.11 (I'm sure you can take a stab at which one. If not, it involves Dov and a returning character), you might/will hopefully get a kick out of it when it eventually goes up, so be on the lookout for that.** **

**If you're new to my stories, an extra big welcome. I hope you enjoy this one-shot, and check out some of my other stories too. And, if you've been following some of my others, many thanks for joining me here as well. As always, your support and feedback are greatly appreciated!**

**A HUGE thank you to svugirl25 for allowing me/asking me to write this one-shot based on her brilliant 4.01 chase and tackle idea. **

**Also, as the description says, this one-shot is based off of 4.01. However, (SPOILER) as lovely as Rachael is, Marlo doesn't exist in this story, so no need to worry about Smarlo. It's just a little suspense, fluff, and maybe a few laughs, so read on and let me know what you think! **

**Annnnd one more thing. The school I'm using is actually an elementary school, but for the purpose of this story, it's going to be a high school since all of the actual high schools are too far away…**

**Anyway, enjoy!**

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><p>Two hours. That's how long it had been since Sam and the others had found her with Nick in the back of the transport truck's trailer. And not once in those 120 minutes had Sam touched her. No hug, handshake, hand on the small of her back. Nothing. Yet, the relief in his eyes and the smile on his face when they'd come face to face had her insides melting. And, sure, she was ecstatic that 15 Division had found them in the knick of time, but the stupid grin that was planted on her face was there for one reason only: <em>him<em>. She withheld a sigh. All it would have taken was one brush of his fingertips and she was positive that her face would have broken from smiling so much. Split. Shattered. Exploded. The point was, she was elated. And as she stood there under his gaze, she felt herself turning into putty. That was, until a few minutes later when he turned and walked away with little more than a few words spoken.

Time seemed to stop. Her jaw went slack and her eyes wide as she watched him retreat back to… well, wherever he was going. Away from her, that's all she knew. But, she let it slide, or tried to. After all, she could hardly expect a warm welcome after the way she'd packed up and left for the op without a word. Just vanished. No warning. Andy chewed on her lower lip, worrying it between her teeth. Had she lost her chance with Sam? Did he still love her? Or, had he moved on? She mentally shook herself. She couldn't let herself think that way, not until she knew for sure. Although, it was clear right off the bat that some things had definitely changed. Sam's clothing, for one. He was wearing civilian clothes and a Kevlar vest, a sign that he'd become a detective. She sighed. He'd never mentioned wanting to become one, not once, not even in passing. Yet, here he was, changed. And that scared her. It left her terrified, hoping that some things had remained the same, and that Sam's current behaviour was more about having a job to do than with wanting nothing to do with her. But, no hug? Was he really that mad at her for leaving that he couldn't even bear the thought of touching her?

It wasn't like she'd been expecting some magical moment where he'd sweep her up into his arms and kiss her until she was weak in the knees. Well, okay, if she was honest with herself that would have been the perfect moment. But walking away like that? He might as well have slapped her in the face. She took a deep breath and tried to think about things rationally. Life had been sticky when she'd left for Project Dakota. Well, no, that was an understatement. They'd been broken up; hadn't spoken outside of work. Things were… tense. And she'd been heartbroken. Gutted. But trying so hard to bounce back, get on her feet, and file Sam Swarek away in the past. And then he had to go and look at her – with the same warm brown eyes that were staring at her right now – and tell her that he loved her. That he, Sam Swarek, _loved_ her. Romantic, right? The man who never really said how he felt, finally admitted his feelings. But, she'd been holding a grenade and was perhaps seconds away from her death – well, technically their deaths since he'd refused to leave her side. And then he'd had the nerve to crack a joke afterward, just brush away those three small but crucial words. It took the sweetness away. No, _he_ did. He just got too deep and tried to cover things up, like usual. Then apologize. Fix things. Promise to make her dinner, take out the trash, and walk the dog she didn't have. Okay, so maybe she'd been a little bitter, but in truth, she hadn't really been immune to any of it, especially his "I love you", but after six weeks of him ignoring her calls, she was frustrated. So yeah, she left. Made a huge career move. _But_, six months of being undercover had given her a lot of time to think, and as frustrated and hurt as she'd been, seeing him again now caused all of the negative emotions to fade away, at least temporarily.

Andy snapped back to the present and bit down on her lower lip, staring straight back at him from the other side of his desk, her heart pounding heavily in her chest. Man, she'd missed him. Missed hearing his voice, especially when he said her last name in that deep but breathy tone that caused shivers to run up her spine. Missed talking to him, even when he was making fun of her. Seeing him, and the dimples that made her heart beat just a little bit faster. Being near him, and knowing she was safe. Definitely being held by him. Kissed: hard and soft, desperately and slowly. But most of all – more than any of those things – she missed feeling whole. For over six months, there had been a dull ache in her chest, like part of her was missing. And it was. Coming back only confirmed that because the second she saw him again, she knew that leaving had been a mistake.

Her eyes flicked to Oliver, who sat on the edge of the adjacent desk. As much as she loved and missed the man, she just really wanted a moment alone with Sam. Just a little bit of time to figure out where his head was at, and if he wanted to give them another go, or if he was over it, _them_. Moved on. Done. She blinked hard in an attempt to keep the tears from coming. She had to believe there was still a chance. But right now, he was just so hard to read, and with Oliver hovering over them, she couldn't really talk about anything other than the op. So, she was forced to answer question after question as if on autopilot, retelling the entire thing from start to finish, and keeping everything as professional as Sam was. But, this just wasn't them – it was awkward, and abnormally tense. So, she shifted her gaze to the bullpen, a small laugh escaping her at the sight.

Both Dov and Gail were sitting at their desks, staring up at the Detective's office while making some of the most ridiculous facial expressions Andy had ever seen. Dov's hands were latched onto his ears, pulling them outward as far as they could go. His mouth, which was full of air, made his cheeks appear inflated to the point where he looked like he was going to burst. And maybe he was. After all, his entire face was going red from the effort, and to top it off, his eyes were crossed. And although Andy really had no idea what one looked like, later on she could really only describe Dov's expression as something akin to a bloated monkey. And then there was Gail. The puffed up cheeks and freakishly wide eyes, topped off by her pasty complexion had her looking like a… Andy's head unconsciously tilted a little to the right. _So that's what she looks like when all of that hot air goes from her head to her face_, she thought. A blow-fish? _Yup._ At that precise moment, Gail Peck looked like a blow-fish. And that's when it really became too much. Just hours ago she'd had a gun pointed at her head, but now, she was safe. And she couldn't hold it back anymore. The relief. Being home… almost. It was all getting to her.

Her entire body started shaking as she unsuccessfully attempted to hold back her laughter. It burst forth, loud and vibrant, nothing short of joy evident as it tore through the otherwise quiet office. Tears simultaneously sprung to her eyes, but she didn't even bother to wipe them away as they spilled down her cheeks, shoulders still shaking with laughter. She just couldn't help it. She'd been so stressed before; so scared thinking that she was going to die. And now it just felt like she was back in high school, witnessing astounding levels of immaturity, and some of the funniest jokes. But, she loved it. She loved them. Her friends. The ones she'd come to call her family. The ones who knew how to make her laugh, and knew when she needed it, and right now, she definitely did.

"Clowns," Oliver chuckled, shaking his head as he followed Andy's gaze.

When her laughter finally subsided and the tears stopped falling, a faint blush crept into her cheeks. For a brief spell, everything else had just faded away, all of her problems, her fears, everything just momentarily forgotten. But now it was back, and Andy became very aware of Sam's eyes on her, boring into her and causing a wave of heat to crash over her. She swallowed hard, her eyes seeking out water in an attempt to cool herself down. Or distract herself. Either one would probably help. But there wasn't any in sight. So, instead, she took a deep breath, and forced out, "Done?"

Sam quirked an eyebrow, biting back a smirk as he watched her squirm under his gaze.

"With the debrief," she clarified, pressing her lips together. _Idiot_, she scolded herself. _Of course he knows I meant the debrief... Well, I meant being done with the debrief, not with him. I mean, I'd rather know where we're at than whether or not I have to answer more questions about the op… Does he know what I mean? He has to, right?... Why's he looking at me like that? I think I'm blushing again. _She ran a nervous hand across her cheek as she swiped some hair back, feeling the heat radiating from her face as she did so. _Yup, definitely blushing. _Andy inhaled deeply, her fingers curling around the end of the armrests in an attempt to keep her hands steady. "Done with the debrief?" she repeated when he still hadn't responded. She shifted again, wondering if he was intentionally trying to get a reaction from her; if he was trying to make it awkward, make her squirm and overthink everything.

"Done… with the debrief," Sam confirmed with a nod, his eyes never leaving her face.

She stared right back at him, the butterflies in her stomach now out of control. _What's that supposed to mean? Does it even mean something?... Was there a pause? He paused. Right? Pleeeeeeeease tell me he did. That he knows what I mean. That he knows… Breathe, Andy. You don't want to seem desperate… Just breathe… One, two, three… He's still staring. _She unconsciously sighed. _Those eyes. _Her gaze shifted downward. _Lips_.

"I've gotta straighten out those knuckleheads," Oliver said, putting a hand on Andy's shoulder and squeezing it gently, thereby breaking her out of her own thoughts. With a smile, he said to her, "It's good to have you back." Then, after a hesitant moment, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Talk to him. Give him a chance. Just… Don't run."

Andy gave him a small smile in return, wondering if this was it, if this was her moment alone with Sam. And yet, even without Oliver acting as a father figure and hovering over them, the D's office wasn't exactly the place for private conversations, not when everyone could see and anyone could come barging in at an inopportune moment. Her eyes returned to Sam. He was quiet, not letting on anything with his facial expression, and yet, the way he was looking at her almost had her squirming again. It was intense. Heated. Just like old times. But not. With a deep breath, she made the first bold move, not knowing how he'd react. "Parking lot. Five minutes." She didn't look at him as she practically jumped to her feet and left the Detectives' office, quickly making her way through the bullpen and the doors leading outside.

Sam watched her go, eyebrows still raised. Six months had changed her. He could see it in her eyes, her smile. It was all different, and yet, her ability to surprise him, keep him on his toes, was still there. She hadn't waited for an answer, just left, expecting him to follow. And he would. Letting out a loud breath, he reached into his drawer for his keys and wallet, then hastily closed the files on his desk and locked them up. _Five minutes? Really?_ He'd waited six months to see her. He wasn't about to wait another five minutes.

The second his feet hit the pavement and his eyes landed on her, his heart rate picked up and the nerves really set in. But, he could tell she was nervous too, more so than she had been during the debrief. He watched her scan the parking lot, her eyes pausing on him before continuing their path, her fingers fiddling with a thread on her shirt all the while. A frown creased his forehead. Something was off. Forcing his eyes away from her, he took a quick look around before allowing his gaze to settle on her once more. She had that look, the one that said she was itching to say something. The same look she'd had for the last couple of hours, but this time it was amplified. But, once again, they had company; several officers were engaged in what sounded like a hefty conversation in the middle of the lot, showing no signs of leaving anytime soon. And no matter what came out of her mouth, he was positive that neither of them wanted to have such a public conversation. After all, she'd managed to refrain from saying what was really on her mind while Oliver lingered in the D's office, so why would she suddenly blurt it out now? His step faltered and his right hand rose to nervously scratch the back of his head as he tried to figure out what to do next. This clearly wasn't the place, but at this rate, what would be? And when? He wasn't even so sure that his place or hers would give them enough privacy, that it would shut out the world and leave them uninterrupted and unsupervised for long enough to say whatever they had to say.

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><p>Oliver's last words echoed in Andy's head. <em>Don't run<em>. _Don't run. Don't run. _She got it, she really did. They'd run to and from one another; pushed and pulled; played cat and mouse. Lived in denial, pain, and misery. Gone through the ringer on multiple occasions, and here they were again. Seemingly so close, and simultaneously so far. Needing to talk, but having never gotten anywhere with it. But this time had to be different; this time they had to get things right because as much as she didn't want to go through hell again, she also couldn't live without him. She needed him as much as the air she breathed, and although she'd known she wanted to be with him for quite some time – that she loved him – now, more than ever, she knew that she needed Sam Swarek in her life. Needed him with her. To be a _them_. But there couldn't be an _us_ or a _them_ if she couldn't get him, and despite him following her outside, that wasn't enough. It was a start, but he had to be invested in this as much as she was; he had to know what she knew, and feel the same way.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Oliver's daughter, Izzy, approaching the station. Since Andy had last seen her, the girl had ditched the blue hair and instead sported a bright blue backpack, similar to the one she was wearing on her first day at 15 Division. _Bingo_. The backpack. High school. Andy's lips twitched. _That's it!_ Casting a glance in Sam's direction, she bit down on her lower lip before a sly smile formed and her thoughts went back to her past: the fatherly figure trying to give her advice about her twisted love life; her friends being complete goofballs; sneaking around. She knew exactly where to take him to get a little bit of privacy. That was, _if_ he'd follow. Taking a deep breath, she started walking backward, ever so slowly toward the sidewalk. Her eyes remained fixed on him the entire time, willing his feet to carry him forward with each step she took away. And he did, but not without shooting her a questioning look. Feeling her heart swell and her lips turn upward into what she was sure would be a face-splitting grin, she stared right back with a silent challenge, struggling to keep the sly smile in place as she turned her body toward the street. Trembling with nerves, she shakily turned right upon hitting the sidewalk, casting a glance over her shoulder to find him closing the gap between them. _He's following. _Her heart swelled as a glimmer of hope danced before her eyes. _Keep going_, she silently encouraged herself, picking up her pace just a little so that he was never too close, but never too far.

It was near impossible to hear his footsteps as she made her way down Parliament Street, a steady stream of cars racing past them. But, a few glances over her shoulder were enough to tell her that he was catching up. So, she sped up again, her eyes flicking to the lights at the intersection before making the quick decision to bolt across, just barely making it before the lights perpendicular to the road they were on turned green and traffic barred the way.

Sam's eyes widened. "McNally," he called out.

Once safely on the other side of King Street East, Andy slowly turned to face him. Again, he shot her a questioning look, but he'd get his answers soon enough. They both would. The thought made her lips twitch, and in return, his did too, as if the small gesture had peeled back a layer of tension and uncertainty. They were both in this, together, at least for now. And he was letting her lead… He was the one following, the one trusting her blindly, not the other way around. Feeling tears prick her eyes, she closed them and took a steadying breath. They could do this. They could change, and be better. They could make it work. When at last she finally opened them, she met his eyes and despite the distance, she found herself being drawn into their warmth. Her feet carried her a few steps toward him, her breathing becoming quicker, her heart pounding faster, her entire body trembling with a nervous excitement.

"Sorry."

Andy stumbled forward as a passerby hit her shoulder, muttering an apology before crossing the street. Jolted from her trance, she looked up at the lights and realized that while she'd been engrossed in Sam's eyes, they'd changed. Shifting her gaze back to him, it became clear that he'd just become aware of that too. Not only that, but he was taking advantage of her slow reaction and was quickly advancing on her. Drawing in a shaky breath, she shot him a smile, then abruptly turned and continued her fast pace down the street.

Sam ran a hand over his face and let out a loud breath. _What the hell is going on? What's she playing at?_ Bringing himself up to a brisk walk, he continued to follow, every glance back from her making his heart beat a little faster. And for awhile he continued to shoot her a questioning look, but every time he did that, he received that sly, mischievous smile in return, the one that said that Andy McNally was toying with him. Yet, it also told him that he was right to follow, and so he stopped sending her questioning looks and instead, simply followed, knowing that she wanted him to, that there was a reason for this chase, and that sooner or later it was going to end. Where that would be, he had no idea, but something in her demeanour was gradually changing and that only made him more curious.

Before long, they hit Adelaide Street East, then Richmond Street East, only stopping for traffic along the way. And, each time, she seemed to speed up or slow down just enough to get the timing right so that he could never get too close. And no matter what he did, he couldn't seem to catch up or make the lights in time. It felt like a reminder of their past, the red and green lights, the stop and go of their relationship. He shook the thought aside. That was the past; it didn't dictate the present or the future.

By the time they hit Queen Street East, Andy hesitated, turning completely to look at him in an attempt to gauge the distance. Though the periodic glances over her shoulder had continued, the reason for them was no longer to see if he was following – now it was simply because the longer this went on, the harder it became to keep the distance because every time she looked at him, she didn't want to look away. But, she had a plan, and although she'd come to terms with the fact that some plans needed to be thrown out the window, this was one that she didn't want to abandon. If she did, she was bound to go running into his arms in an overly dramatic fashion, just like in the movies. And if that happened, she'd kiss him, and kissing him wouldn't solve their problems. Well, not entirely, although the temptation to do just that was rapidly growing. She let out a small laugh. When had she not wanted to kiss Sam? Snapping out of her thoughts, Andy wet her lips. _Time to test the water a little more._ After rolling her shoulders and doing a quick stretch, she met his eyes for a brief moment, then abruptly turned to the right and started jogging down the street.

Sam's mouth fell open as he turned the corner and realized just how far ahead she'd gotten. "Cheater," he muttered, groaning as he picked up his pace to a jog. If it wasn't for her glances back every once in awhile, he probably would have found the entire ordeal frustrating, but there was something in her eyes that made him keep going, following rather blindly, his mind racing the entire time. He wasn't quite sure where the thought came from, but he couldn't help but think that it was like teasing a mouse with cheese. Dangling the treat in front of the creature's face and then snatching it away, keeping it close enough to smell the scent, but always with the intent of luring it into a trap. Again, he tried to speed up, but every time he did, she went just a little bit faster, reinforcing the feeling of being that mouse that might only catch the cheese – her – when it was too late, when he was trapped. The question was: what kind of trap was Andy leading him into? And, would he get his cheese and be able to keep it? He laughed inwardly at his own ridiculous thoughts. Andy McNally, his cheese. His smile faltered. _The cheese stands alone_. Hadn't he told her that once, long ago? And _the cat who walks by herself_. And she'd agreed; told him that he of all people should understand that. He mentally shook himself. Not this cheese, not this cat, and not this time.

Blood pumping, Andy couldn't stop the smirk from spreading across her face. The thoughts from the parking lot were replaying in her mind: the running to and from one another; the pushing and pulling; playing cat and mouse. This was _them_. But this time it was going to be right. The tension had long since lifted from her shoulders. Her uncertainty was fading. And the mood was shifting, becoming a little more playful the longer this went on. She could feel it in her body, her mind. And she could see it written all over his face: the determination, the desire, and the thrill of the chase.

Seeing her turn right onto Sackville Street, Sam brought himself up to a run, ever so slightly gaining on her. Hoping to catch her off-guard, he kicked it up another notch. The metres separating them were rapidly decreasing, and he was positive he'd catch her, but once again, she took him by surprise, taking an abrupt turn towards St. Paul's high school. _What the…? _His thought was cut short as her feet hit the pavement in the school parking lot, and she took off, sprinting toward the back of the school. His eyes widened, and he did his best to match her pace, but she was leaving him in the dust. "If you're going to run faster, at least run in the other direction," he panted to himself, wondering how she could have possibly gotten this much faster since leaving for her op. Yet, now that it seemed like they'd reached their destination – strange as it seemed – he was slowing a bit, his eyes trained on the fluidity with which her body moved. Skin glistening with sweat. Sound of their feet slapping against the pavement and then nothing as they hit the grass. Snatches of laughter drifted back to him, slicing through the sound of traffic and warming his heart, but also leaving him dumbfounded. _How the hell does she have the energy to laugh?_… _Has sitting behind a desk really left me that out of shape? _He grunted. He'd been hitting the gym hard since she'd left, working out his frustrations, but this was wearing him down faster than it should have. Still, he wasn't about to give up. He'd run until he collapsed or until she took pity on him, assuming she would.

As Andy neared the rather large shed at the far end of the school property, she glanced back at him over her shoulder, a grin already on her face. Catching him staring at her, soaking her up, her grin widened, her pearly whites flashing at him. _You, Sam Swarek, aren't going to know what hit you._

Despite being caught admiring her, he wasn't bothered. Rather, his heart flipped and a smile formed on his own face. And although he still wondered what her game was, he didn't really care anymore as long as she really did intend for him to catch up. Seeing her yank the door for the shed open, he knew the chase was almost over. Curiosity peaked, he pushed himself a little harder, watching as she vanished inside, trapping herself within its confines. After making sure nobody else was around to see them, he reached for the doorknob, taking a deep breath before pulling it open and stepping inside. His eyes immediately darted left and right, searching but finding nothing. "McNal—" Sam began, but something collided with him, sweeping his feet out from underneath him. As his body hit the ground hard, a grunt escaped him and he was left momentarily winded. Taking in a large, slow breath, he rolled onto his back to find a mop of long brown hair dangling in his face. And then the body seemed to just collapse on him, a fit of laughter shaking it to the core.

"Your face—" Andy gasped, but she couldn't get the rest of the words out. He hadn't seen it coming, at all. But as she looked down at his face now, she quickly sobered up. His eyes were so dark, so full of love and desire, something she had longed to see since he'd found her in the back of the truck. It had her already increased heart rate skyrocketing, her heart doing summersaults as her eyes met his. Her body warmed, her lips twitched, and her mind slipped into a fog, a love-induced daze. Without thinking, she leaned down and placed a tender kiss on his lips. When at last she pulled away, panic set in. _What if…?_

Sam immediately reached up, sliding one hand behind her neck and drawing her back in for another kiss. It was tentative, yet sweet, simple, and warm. As cheesy as it sounded in his own head, it was true: this moment, holding her, kissing her, it felt like home.

"I missed you," he mumbled into her lips, kissing her again before pulling away so that he could look her in the eye. "I never should have pushed you away after Jerry died."

She sucked in a large breath. Had he really just said that? Willingly brought up Jerry's death on his own? Made that admission? She was torn between laughing and crying. He'd missed her. Relief flooded through her. He'd missed her and he'd kissed her back, and he was still holding her now.

"And I should have told you how I felt sooner." His voice was soft, the sincerity clear.

"I missed you too," Andy said quietly. "Going to Temagami was hard enough, but that was nothing compared to how hard it was being away from you on the op and not knowing." Tears pricked her eyes. "But I want it too. What you said before I left, I want it. I want _us._" Her voice cracked. "I want to start over, Sam, to try again and get it right..." She swallowed hard. "If… if you still want to… And I really hope—"

He cut her off with another kiss, drowning out the rest of her words. "I do," he breathed. Brushing some hair out of her face, he asked, "But did you really need to bring me out here and tackle me just to ask?"

"Well, the alley was too far," Andy said, biting down on her lower lip as he laughed. "But with Oliver breathing down our necks, I needed to get you away from… well, from everything." She let out a small laugh. "Figured we could start over, you know? Tackle you and—"

"Actually kiss me," Sam said with a smirk.

"Can't really tease me about that anymore, can you?" she said. "Been there, done that," she said, gesturing to them now.

"Nah, I'll still bug you about it." He couldn't help but chuckle at the expression on her face. "It's how you first came barreling into my life, so I suppose you had to tackle me again to get back in it."

Her eyes widened. "So if I hadn't tackled you, then you wouldn't—"

"You still do that thing," he interrupted.

"What thing?" she asked, frowning.

"That thing where you overthink everything," Sam teased, pulling her back in for another kiss. "And the tackle was just a nice touch."

"I can do it again if you want?" she offered with a smirk.

"How about we just skip that part and…" he began, already trying to coax her lips back towards his.

Movement on the other side of the shed window caught Andy's attention. "Sam," she whispered, heart pounding heavily. When he moved back in to kiss her, she put her hands on his chest and firmly pushed him away. "Sam," she hissed. "Someone's here."

His eyes immediately shot to the door, a little bit of fear creeping in.

"Get up," she whispered, trying to pull him to his feet as she heard the doorknob turn. She pulled too hard though and, unable to firmly plant his feet on the floor, he toppled into her, bumping into a shelf before knocking them both back to the floor. They landed with a thump, grimacing as several basketballs hit the floor and proceeded to bounce across the shed. A curse escaped her as she scrambled to move them out of view, but she eventually just collapsed back on top of him.

Feeling her body shaking with laughter, Sam shook his head, willing her to keep quiet. His heart was racing. This was a bad idea. It would have been bad enough being caught as a teenager in high school, but for a cop and detective to be caught kissing in a high school shed...? If the public or even their division caught wind of this, they'd be the laughing stock for years to come.

Silence.

Andy raised her head, then quickly got to her feet and ran towards the window.

"McNally," Sam hissed. What was she doing? Someone could easily see her.

As she spotted a figure running back across the yard, her shoulders started shaking. "Sam," she choked out. Tears started rolling down her cheeks and she couldn't hold back anymore. She doubled over laughing, reaching out to grab something to steady herself, but her attempt only resulted in more balls being sent tumbling to the floor. "Sam," she tried again, but it was no use. She could hardly stand, let alone breath or talk. So, she crawled back to him. "You were scared, weren't you?" she asked after a long moment.

"No," he lied, shooting her a questioning look.

"It…" She broke out into another fit of giggles. "It was a kid, Sam."

He stared at her, the smile that had previously adorned his face at seeing her laugh fell.

"A _kid_," she repeated, still shaking with laughter. "You were scared of a kid."

Grinding his teeth together, he glared at her. "I'm a fully grown man, McNally. I was _not_ scared of a kid."

"Yes, you were," she teased, poking him in the side. "But don't worry, I know you would have protected me." She winked at him, chewing on her lower lip to keep herself from laughing again. He looked unimpressed. "Oh, come on, Sam," Andy said, nudging him. "It's funny. And it scared me too."

Silence.

"Don't sulk," Andy pleaded. "I'm just bugging you. So laugh with me with me a little. A kid just had us quaking in our boots."

"It's summer."

Andy rolled her eyes. "C'mon," she said, poking him in the side again. "He got us good. Scared the hell out of us."

"You know what scares me, McNally?" His voice was dead serious, and he didn't wait for her to answer. "You leaving… The thought of you dying… Life without you in it."

She pressed her lips together before scooching toward him. Raising his right arm, she shifted so that she was now cuddled into his side, tugging his hand until it was wrapped around her, holding her in place. "I'm not going anywhere, not again. I never should have left in the first place, at least, not without telling you. And I'm sorry, Sam… I…"

He tightened his grip on her and let out an audible sigh. "It was kind of funny," he relented. Seeing her confusion, he added, "The thing with the kid."

A small smile formed on her face, but one look at him and it was obvious he was still sulking. So, she tilted her head upward and kissed him on the cheek. "It was," she agreed, placing another soft kiss in the same spot.

Sam turned his head just a little towards her, unable to stop his lips from twitching when she pressed a kiss a little closer to his mouth. He turned a little more, moving what seemed like just a fraction of a degree each time she kissed him. And every single time, he felt his mood slip until at last he cupped her face and kissed her tenderly on the lips.

When they finally pulled away, Andy lay her head down on his shoulder and let out a content sigh. "We really do like messy, don't we?" she asked, her eyes landing on the balls that were now scattered across the shed.

"I like you."

She unconsciously started drawing patterns on his chest. "I like you too," she said, suddenly feeling a little shy. But, it was more than like. She loved him, and had never stopped.

They sat in silence, just holding one another, for a few more minutes.

"Why a school shed?" he asked quietly, running the fingers of his right hand through her hair. "Why bring me here?"

Andy buried her face in his neck and shook her head.

"McNally?" he pressed.

She let out an overly dramatic sigh. "When I was in high school, I used to bring the boys back here to kiss them… Under the bleachers worked too."

"So you thought you'd bring me here and see if this was still your lucky place? If you could still get a kiss?"

She smacked his arm gently. "Jerk. I just wanted to get you alone."

Sam smirked. "But a shed and the bleachers? Really? Not very creative, McNally."

"Yeah, well, with Ms. Winters hounding us, options were limited. Privacy was pretty much non-existent and holding hands was like a sin."

He chuckled, but as it died, he grew silent and his expression became sombre. "When I was six, my dad locked me in the toolshed because I broke his hockey stick."

Andy's eyes widened, horrified. "Sam, I'm so sorry," she blurted out, guilt washing over her. "If I'd known—"

He shook his head. "When I was ten, he made me sleep in there for a week because I didn't mow the lawn… I forgot. And, by the time I was sixteen, I was screwing up so that I wouldn't have to sleep under the same roof as that guy." He hesitated. "It changed from a punishment to an escape."

"I… I had no idea," she said quietly, tears welling up in her eyes. If she'd known, she never would have brought him here; never would have made him follow her in here.

Sam kissed her forehead, but said nothing. There was no way she could have known; he'd never told her.

"Well, maybe sheds can have a new meaning now… for both of us."

He shot her a questioning look.

"I never actually brought a boy _into_ the tool shed before," she said softly. "Just outside." She looked up at him shyly. "None of them were special enough to actually risk going inside."

"Is that so?"

She nodded.

"And... what, you _own_ this shed or something?" he teased, in an attempt to lighten the mood again.

"Well, I brought you here, didn't I? I caught you."

"_You_ caught me?" Sam said, eyebrows raised. "I was the one chasing you."

Smirking, she shot back, "Yeah, well, a lion lures its prey into its den before pouncing."

"A lion, huh?"

"Yup," she said proudly. "Like a game of cat and mouse, except—"

"You're not a tame little house cat, you're a lion," Sam said, finishing her thought. "So what, I suppose I'm the mouse now?" He wasn't about to admit that he'd been thinking of himself as a mouse and her as the cheese on the way here – she'd never let it go if he did.

"Uh huh," she said, a massive grin on her face. "I've got a lion's heart, remember?"

He rolled his eyes. "Even so, you've got it all wrong, McNally. No normal mouse would chase a lion."

"Well, you aren't exactly normal, are you?" Andy teased as she leaned forward and kissed him.

"Watch it, McNally, this mouse bites," he said with a smirk.

"Yeah? Well, this lion bites harder," she retorted, picking up a ball off the ground. "But does the mouse know how to play basketball too?" she challenged.

Sam quirked an eyebrow, reaching to pull her back to him, but she was already moving towards the door. "What, you think I'm Stuart Little now or something? I bet you read that book as a kid, didn't you?"

"Winner buys dinner," Andy called out over her shoulder, sticking her tongue out at him in response to his comment.

"Don't you mean the loser?" Sam said, chuckling as he stepped back outside.

She shook her head. "No, the winner buys dinner; the loser is the first to talk."

Sam's smile faltered. He wasn't terrible at basketball, but he knew she was _really_ good. He'd seen it. They both knew it. "You're lucky I love you, McNally," he growled.

"I know," she replied, kissing him quickly on the cheek before abruptly turning. With a smirk, she dribbled the ball toward the end of the basketball court and took a shot, watching as it passed through the hoop. "Better get your A-game on old man," she teased, a grin plastered on her face as she did a little celebratory dance.

"Wait another fifty years and then _maybe_ you can call me that," he shot back, watching with satisfaction as her eyes widened.

Andy quickly recovered, reset, and as she started to dribble the ball again, she said, "Maybe then I'll just want to call you _mine_."

Sam caught her around the middle and swung her around, causing her feet to briefly lift off the ground. Hearing a laugh escape her, he set her down again and, wrapping his arms around her a little tighter, he tugged her back into his chest.

When their bodies were flush, she turned her head to the side before tilting it to look up at him.

Sensing what she wanted, he kissed her softly, while the ball bounced off to the side, completely forgotten. "Why wait?" he mumbled against her lips, feeling her smile.

"Mine," Andy breathed, linking her fingers with his as she looked up into his warm, brown orbs. In that moment, she knew that despite any previous reservations, frustration, and hurt, they were going to be okay, better than okay. She placed another tender kiss on his lips, savouring the warmth for a moment before pulling away, a smile gracing her lips. "Mine," she repeated softly.

**Thanks for reading! I hope you'll let me know what you think. AND since this is only a one-shot, a huge thank you in advance to anyone who not only reads, but also writes a review! Much appreciated.**


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